Windows Custom OS Template
Organization administrators can create a custom OS template to deploy remote desktops. You can also activate your own OS license through this process.
These steps are critical for building a successful image—proceed with care.
Important:
About Disk Partition
1. A custom template requires either a single disk partition, or two partitions: one EFI/Boot partition and a second for system and data.
2. LVM partitions are not supported, so avoid using them.
3. An incorrect partition layout will break disk auto-resize and machine naming features.
Windows
1. Install "Red Hat VirtIO SCSI pass-through controller
When prompted with "Where do you want to install Windows?", click "Load drivers", pick the right driver, and the storage drive will appear.
2. Initial Setup
When the screen asks "Let's connect you to a network", click I don't have internet.
When asked "There's more to discover…", click Continue with limited setup.
Enter any username and leave the password blank.
3. Install Virtio-win drivers and guest agents
Once the machine boots and you're logged in, go to CD Drive E and run Virtio-win-guest-tools to install the virtio drivers along with spice vdagent and qemu guest agent. Follow the prompts with Next and OK to complete the installation.
4. Disable Hibernate
Right-click to open Command Prompt as administrator, then type "powercfg.exe /hibernate off" and press Enter.
5. Enable Shutdown/Restart Windows 10 without Any Prompts
Open the registry editor and navigate to this key: HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop.
Create a new String Value named AutoEndTasks and set its value to 1.
6. Check if the required service exists and set to "Automatic Start"
- Spice-Vdagent: for support of qemu vnc clipboard
- BalloonSerivce: for guest memory usage stats
7. Install and configure Tightvnc to allow proper VNC connection
Visit https://www.tightvnc.com/download.php and download the TightVNC installer for Windows.
Run the installer, and when it's finished, disable authentication.
Launch "TightVNC service configuration" and adjust the settings as shown.
8. Enable Shared-drive
The Shared-drive feature lets cloud desktops share files with each other during a training course or between a user's own PC and the cloud desktop. It's built on WebDAV file sharing, so you'll need to map the drive first. See the screenshot below for instructions.
9. Shutdown your Windows properly
Click the Windows icon at the bottom left, then choose Power → Shutdown.
Please Note
If you'd like to add extra optional features such as:
- DDWebdav — to sync trainer content folders to each participant machine,
- or DDUpload — to easily upload files inside a DaDesktop machine;
For assistance, contact DaDesktop Tech Support.